The present invention relates to fuel tanks. More particularly, it relates to a fuel fill arrangement for a fuel tank which forms a part of a packaged engine driven electrical generator of the type used in connection with refrigerated containers in transport applications.
An increasingly popular way of transporting goods makes use of removable cargo carrying containers, commonly referred to as "intermodal" containers, which are adapted for transport over both land and water. Such containers are designed for transport by truck or rail to a freight terminal or ship loading dock, where they may be transferred to a ship for overseas delivery.
Many of such containers are provided with refrigeration units which allow them to transport perishable goods therein. The refrigeration units attached to such containers include an electric motor for driving a refrigerant compressor forming a part of the unit. As a result, they require a source of electrical power for operation. When located at a freight terminal, a refrigerated container is provided with electrical power through a connection to a conventional source of electrical power. When located on a ship, a refrigerated container receives electrical power from the ship's electrical system. When being transported by road, rail or when no other power source is available, a self contained temporary power source which includes a motor generator set, may be mounted directly to the refrigerated container.
Since a generator set is a self-contained source of auxiliary power, it is necessary that an integral part thereof be a fuel tank for the motor, which is typically a diesel engine. Many generator sets are required to have the capability to provide uninterrupted service for an extended length of time. For example, for transcontinental rail shipping, it is desirable to have a generator set which is capable of operating for more than 130 hours without the requiring refueling. Such extended use capabilities also will increase the reliability of the system and decrease operating costs. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a high capacity integral fuel tank for such a generator set.
It should be appreciated that space is extremely limited in the design of such generator sets. Such space limitations are a result of the environment in which they are used wherein there are limitations on components extending beyond a prescribed envelope universally defined by the width of the containers on which they are used. Also, because the units are quite often mounted on containers being towed by tractor trailers, size limitations are dictated by the necessity of providing adequate clearance between the unit and the tractor unit. Further space limitations are dictated by the requirement that the generator set not extend vertically above the top of the container on which it is mounted nor should it extend downward such that it would interfere with the condenser discharge and the operating controls of the refrigeration unit.
One approach to achieving a high capacity fuel tank is to provide a substantially U-shaped fuel tank having a lower section, which underlies and supports the motor generator and other components of the generator set and which comprises towers which extend upwardly on both sides of the generator set. It is desirable for these towers to be as high as possible, within the confines of the unit, to maximize fuel capacity.
It is also necessary for each of the towers to be provided with an appropriate fuel fill, vent and fuel gage. This is necessary because it is a further requirement that generator sets of this type be capable of being fueled from either side of the unit. It is also desirable that each of the fill pipes in the generator set be within the external profile of the generator set in order to provide protection from damage. A further desired feature in such a design is for the fuel gage to be readily visible when the fuel tank is being filled.